Apparatus comprising a magnetic pattern and follower for shaped sewing



Jan. 5, 1965 1 BONO 7 3,164,112

APPARATUS COMPRISING A MAGNETIC PATTERN AND FOLLOWER FOR SHAPED SEWINGFiled Dec. 27, 1962 :5 Sheets-Sheet 1 InuemQor I Luigi Bop/J 5,19%, 0W,

fl riorneys Jan. 5, 1965 L. BONO APPARATUS COMPRISING A MAGNETIC PATTERNAND FOLLOWER FOR SHAPED SEWING 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 27, 1962InvenIor 2/ 8on0 By I? Attorneys Jan. 5, 1965 BONO 3,164,112

APPARATUS COMPRISING A MAGNETIC PATTERN AND FOLLOWER FOR' SHAPED SEWINGF'iledDec. 2'7, 1962 r 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inkenlror Luigi 8on0 B Jmw; LOW,mm United States Patent 3,164,112 APPARATUS CGMPRISING A MAGNETIC PAT-TERN AND FOLLOWER FUR SHAPED SEWING Luigi liono, Milan, Italy, assignorto Necchi Societa per Azioni, Pavia, Italy Filed Dec. 27, 1962, Ser. No.247,640 Claims priority, application Italy, Apr. 4, 1962, 6,498/62 6Claims. (Cl. 1122) This invention relates in general to new and usefulimprovements in sewing apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatusfor sewing predetermined patterns.

A primary object of this invention is to provide in conjunction a sewingmachine a fabric feed which includes a removable pattern member and afollower for following the contour of the pattern member and moving afabric holder in a like manner, the follower being driven wherein itserves as the motive power for the fabric holder.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel feed mechanismfor a fabric holder of a sewing machine wherein interchangeable patternmembers are provided, the feed mechanism including a rotating smalldiameter shaft which is coupled to the fabric holder and which bearsagainst the interchangeable pattern member and effects both the drivingof the fabric holder and the predetermined movement thereof.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel patternmember and follower arrangement wherein the pattern member is of amagnetic nature and the follower is in the form of a small diametermagnetically attractive shaft whereby as the shaft rotates in contactswith the pattern member it is in non-slipping contact with the patternmember and is forcibly traveled along the pattern member.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel fabric holderwhich is initially carried by a rigid arm and which is adjustable so asto accommodate fabrics into which patterns of different lengths are tobe sewn.

The apparatus in accordance with this invention consists essentially ofa sewing machine and a material-holding frame movable on the support ofthe sewing machine together with a carriage having guides which aresupported by a second carriage movable in a direction perpendicular tothe first carriage on second guides fastened to the support of thesewing machine, and there being a pattern member mounted in fixedposition with respect to the sewing machine support with the firstcarriage having a small diameter rotating shaft which rotates in contactwith the pattern member and is held in nonslipping contact therewith bymagnetic attraction.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear,the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by areference to the following detailed description, the appended claims andthe several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a sewing machine incorporating theinvention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the specific apparatus whichis the subject of this invention.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the fabric holder with partsbroken away and shown in section and illustrates the details of one ofthe clamps thereof.

FIGURE 4 is an end view of one of the clamp members and showsspecifically the details thereof.

FIGURE 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the shaftportion only of the fabric holder and through a portion of a clampassembly for locking the fabric holder to a support therefor.

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of a typical pattern member and shows generallythe details thereof.

ice

FIGURE 7 is a rotated transverse vertical sectional view taken along theline VIII-NIH of FIGURE 6 and shows the specific constructional detailsthereof.

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of another form of pattern member.

FIGURE 9 is a rotated transverse vertical sectional view taken along theline IXIX of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 10 is a plan view of another form of pattern member.

FIGURE 11 is a rotated transverse vertical sectional view taken alongthe line XIXI of FIGURE 10 and shows more specifically the details ofthe pattern member of FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 12 is a plan view of still another form of pattern member andshows generally the details thereof.

FIGURE 13 is a rotated transverse vertical sectional view taken alongthe line XIII-XIII of FIGURE 12 and shows more specifically the detailsof the pattern member of FIGURE 12.

FIGURE 14 is a plan view of a further form of pattern member.

FIGURE 15 is a rotated transverse vertical sectional view taken alongthe line XV-XV of FIGURE 14 and shows more specifically the details ofthe pattern member thereof.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that theinvention is best illustrated in FIGURE 1 where it is illustrated aconventional type of sewing machine which is driven in any desiredconventional manner so as to sew a fabric placed under the needle 2thereof. The sewing machine is mounted on a support, generally referredto by the numeral 3, and is seated in a work top or table 4 carried bythe support 3. The support 3 includes two parallel horizontal guides 5and 6 which are of circular cross-section and which are fastened attheir ends to profiled tubular end parts 7 which constitute the legs ofthe support 3.

Referring now to figure 2 in particular, it will be seen that acarriage, generally referred to by the numeral 8 is mounted on theguides 5 and 6 for movement therealong. The carriage 8 is formed from abent tubular member having a generally trapezoidal shape and has sleeves9 and 1t) suitably secured thereto, as by welding. The sleeves 9 and 10receive and slide on the guides 5 and 6, respectively.

The carriage 8 has guides 11 and 12 which are perpendicular to the axesof the guides 5 and 6. There are two guides 11 in the form of alignedsleeves, and the guide 12 is in the form of a straight portion of thecarriage 8 which is parallel to the axes of the aligned sleeves whichform the guides 11.

The guides 11 and 12 support a second carriage 13 which includes anelongated rod 14 slidably mounted in the guides 11. A plate 15 isadjustably and rigidly secured to the rod 14 and carries a generallyhorizontally disposed bracket 16. The bracket 16, in turn, carries asmall roller 17 which rest upon and slides on the guide 12..

At the forward end of the rod 14 there is rigidly mounted a vertical arm18 which passes through a Wide opening 19 of the work table 4 and whichterminates in a clamping device 20 disposed above the table top 4 towhich a fabric holder, generally referred to by the numeral 21, isfastened.

The fabric holder 21 includes a rod or shaft 22 of parallelepipedcross-section and two clamps 23 adapted to clamp a fabric a. The clamps23 are rigidly connected with the rod 22 by means of sleeves 24 whichare slidable along the rod 22 and are securable in fixed positions bymeans of screws 25 carried thereby.

Referring now to FIGURES 3 and 4 in particular, it will be seen thateach clamp 23 is formed of two profiled parts 26 and 27 which areannular in cross-section and which are connected together in a manner toform a downwardly facing groove 23, and a bar 29 which is pivotallymounted for movement into and out of the groove 28. The bar 29 ishingedly connected to one of the profiled parts 2d and 27 by a pivot pinin such a manner that when the bar 29 is disposed within the groove, itholds the fabrics a within the groove. The two profiled parts 26 and 27are secured together by means of screws 30 and the profiled part 27 isprovided with slot-type openings 31 so that it is possible to adjust therelative positions of the profiled parts 26 and 27 in a manner to varythe width of the groove 28 depending upon the thickness of the fabric ato be clamped.

The bar 29 carries at the free end thereof a spring latch which includesa spring 31 and a wedge 32 having two inclined planes 33 and 34. Theclosing of the clamp 23 and the holding of the clamp 23 in its closedposition is assured by the action of the spring 3f, the inclined plane33 engaging the free end of the profiled part 26 and overlying the same.

When it is desired to open the clamp 23, it is merely necessary to pressones finger against the inclined plane 34 so as to shift the wedge 32rearwardly against the action of the spring 31. Similarly, upon theclosing of the clamp 23, the free end 35 of the profiled part 26 pressesagainst the inclined plane 34 so as to shift the wedge 32 rearwardlyafter which the free end 35 is engaged by the inclined plane 33.

The clamping device at the upper end of the arm 1%, as is best shown inFIGURE 5, requires the provision of two longitudinally spaced bushings'36 in the rod 22. The clamping device 20 is provided with twohorizontal pins 37 disposed within bores 38 in the clamping device 29.The pin 37 cooperate with a small lever 39 which is pivoted at aposition intermediate the two pins 37 and which bears a tooth 49 adaptedto retain the shaft or red 22. Each pin 37 has a shoulder 41 which facesforwardly towards a coaxial cap 42 which is rigidly secured on the pin37. A spring 43 is mounted within the bore 33 in a large portion thereofand is arranged between the cap 42 and a shoulder 44 of the bore 38.When the fabric hold or 21 is mounted on the clamping device 20, thecaps 42 press against the rod 22 and force the same forwardly againstthe tooth it of the small lever 35.

The lever 3% is held in a position of engagement with the rod 22 by aspring 45 which is arranged in a blind hole 46 formed in the upstandingarm 13. The spring 45 presses upwardly against a handle 47 of the lever39,

the handle 47 and the lever 39 being pivotally mounted as a unit.

By acting on the handle 47 in opposition to the action of the spring 45,the lever 39 is raised so as to disengage the tooth 40 from the rod 22,whereupon it is possible to remove the fabric holder 21 from theclamping device 29 by sliding the same off of the pins 37.

An electric motor 48 is mounted on the plate 15 of the carriage 13, asis best shown in FIGURE 2. The electric motor is connected to a speedreducer 49 which has a small diameter shaft 5t journaled vertically inthe bracket 16. The small diameter shaft 59 functions both as the drivemeans and the pattern enforcing means of the apparatus which is thesubject of this invention.

The small diameter shaft 5t) engages an interchangeable pattern memberwhich is shown in phantom lines in FIGURE 2. The pattern member, whichis referred to by the numeral 51, is interchangeably mounted on abracket 52 fastened below the table top 4-. The bracket 52 carries pins52' on which the pattern member 51 is removably mounted.

In accordance with this invention, the small diame er shaft 5'0 adheresto the pattern member 51 and rotates without slippage on the patternmember 51. In so doing, it follows precisely the profile of the patternmember 51 and displaces the fabric holder 21 accordingly.

'URE 6.

The adherence between the shaft 58 and the pattern member 51 is obtainedby magnetic attraction.

Referring now to FIGURES 6 and 7, it will be seen that the patternmember SI consists of at least one pair of plates 53 of ferromagneticmaterial separated by a layer 5d of non-magnetic material, tie platesand the layer 54 bein rigidly bound together. The magnetic forcenecessary to create a sufficient attraction to rotate the small diametershaft 5%!) without slippage on the contoured portion of the patternmember 51 to displace the fabric holder 2?; is created by at least onemagnet 55 arranged behind the pattern member 51 and is secured to theplates 53 thereof in the manner shown in FIGURE 7. Magnet 55 creates amagnetic flux in plates 53 whereby the plates are of opposite polarityto each other. Follower 50 bridges the gap between the plates 53 andprovides a path of minimum reluctance for the flux to pass from oneplate to the other whereby a strong magnetic bond between follower andplates results.

In FEGURES 8 and 9 there is illustrated a second embodiment of thepattern member, which pattern member is generally referred to by thenumeral 51A. The pattern member 51A differs from the pattern member 51in that the plates 53 and the layer 54 of non-magnetic material are ofreduced cross-section and are held fast between two additional plates 56of ferromagnetic material which are separated at spaced intervals bysections 67 of nonmagnetic material. The magnet 55 is connected directlyto the plates 56 as opposed to being connected to the plates 53.

A third form of pattern member generally referred to by the numeral 513,is illustrated in FIGURES l0 and 11. The pattern member 51B isconstructed identically to the pattern member 51A with the exceptionthat in lieu of having one large electromagnet 55 as in the case of thepattern members Sland 51A, two or more smaller electromagnets 55' arearranged between the plates 56. This is best shown in FIGURE 11.

Referring now to *IGURE 2 in particular, it will be seen that there isillustrated a sewing pattern or seam b which has sharp angles 57. It isobvious that when these sharp angles must be described by the axis ofthe small diameter shaft 5t) and by the contours of the pattern members,it is necessary that the pattern members must also have sharp anglessuch as the angle 58 illustrated in FIG- It then becomes necessary toavoid at such a sharp angle 58 the shaft 54 becoming simultaneouslyattracted from both sides of the sharp angle, the sides being identifiedby the numerals 59 and 6!), since this will prevent the shaft 5tl fromrotating correctly. In order to avoid this, the plates 53 have reliefs61 immediately adjacent the corners 53 so that as the shaft 5t reachesthe corners 53, it is subject to attraction, only one of the two sidesdefining the corner. It is, however, obvious that this solution can beadopted only when it is contemplated that the shaft 5t} will rotate in asingle direction, such as the direction x shown in FIGURE 2, and that itwill move along the pattern member 51 in one direction only. It is to benoted that the pattern members 51A and 51B are similarly contoured atthe corners thereof.

If it is desired for the shaft St? to be able to rotate in bothdirections and therefore be able to move along the pattern member inboth directions, the magnetic circuit of the pattern member can bedivided in two in each corner of the pattern surface so that the sidewhich is to be left by the shaft 5% can be demagnetized in timedrelation to the movement of the shaft St). This can be obtained with apattern member 51C illustrated in FIGURES l2 and 13. In this patternmember in lieu of utilizing one pair of plates 53 separated by onemagnetic layer 54, there is a pair of plates 53 for each side of thepattern member. Each pair of the plates 53 is magnetized by acorresponding electromagnet 55.

In FIGURES l4- and 15, there is illustrated still another form ofpattern member which permits the reverse travel to the shaft 5b. Thispattern member is generally Referring once again to FIGURE 6, it will beseen L that there is illustrated a suitable arrangement of microswitches64 and 65 which may be incorporated in the pattern members disclosedabove. The micro-switches 64 and 65 are connected in a conventionalmanner to the electrical system of the sewing machine 1 and the motor 48in such a manner that the starting of the operation of the sewingmachine 1 and the driving of the shaft 5i can be effected only when theshaft 51) is in contact with one of the micro-switches and the operationis interrupted when the shaft 50 comes into contact with the other of Hthe micro-switches. If desired, the micro-switch which starts theoperation of the sewing machine 1 may also be utilized for deenergizingthe electromagnets so it is possible to move the shaft away from thecorresponding pattern member.

Although several preferred embodiments of the invention have beenspecifically illustrated and described herein, it is to be understoodthat other minor variations may be made in the apparatus within thespirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for sewing a predetermined pattern comprising a sewingmachine having a support, a fabric holder, means mounting said fabricholder for two directional movements relative to said support, a patternmember releasably mounted on said support, a follower for following saidpattern member, and a motor connected to said mounting means formovement therewith, and means connected to said motor to drive saidfollower whereby said follower simultaneously guides and drives saidfabric holder, said pattern member being in the form of parallelmagnetic material plates separated by nonmagnetic material, and at leastone magnet across said plates for creating a magnetic field along saidplates with said plates having opposite polarity, said follower servingas a magnetic bridge between said plates whereby magnetic flux from oneplate can pass through said follower and into the opposite plate.

2. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said pattern member has a cornerdefined by adjacent sides, and means for varying the magnetic attractionof one of said sides at said corner to facilitate the transfer of saidfollower from said one to the other.

3. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said pattern member has a cornerdefined by adjacent sides, and means for varying the magnetic attractionof one of said sides at said corner to facilitate the transfer of saidfoilower from said one to the other, the last-mentioned means being inthe form of a relief.

4. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said pattern member has a cornerdefined by adjacent sides, and means for varying the magnetic attractionof one of said sides at said corner to facilitate the transfer of saidfollower from said one to the other, the last mentioned means includingthe forming of said sides by separate magnetic members. i

5 The apparatus of claim 4- wherein said pattern member has a cornerdefined by adjacent sides, and means for varying the magnetic attractionof one of said sides at said corner to facilitate the transfer of saidfollower from said one to the other, the last mentioned means includingthe forming or" said sides by separate magnetic members which areindependently magnetizable.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said magnetic plates are madeattractive by at least one permanent magnet having an electromagneticcoil associated therewith for varying the attraction of said permanentmagnet.

References in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,329,411Kanta et al. Feb. 3, 1920 2,142,476 McDonald Ian. 3, 1939 2,261,644Cockerell Nov. 4, 1941 2,880,683 Abel Apr. 7, 1959 2,939,368 EisengreinJune 7, 1960 3,001,489 Bond et al Sept. 26, 1961 3,046,921 SchwarzbergerJuly 31, 1962 3,072,081 Milligan et al Ian. 8, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS581,451 Italy Aug. 29, 1958

1. AN APPARATUS FOR SEWING A PREDETERMINED PATTERN COMPRISING A SEWINGMACHINE HAVING A SUPPORT, A FABRIC HOLDER, MEANS MOUNTING SAID FABRICHOLDER FOR TWO DIRECTIONAL MOVEMENTS RELATIVE TO SAID SUPPORT, A PATTERNMEMBER RELEASABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT, A FOLLOWER FOR FOLLOWING SAIDPATTERN MEMBER, AND A MOTOR CONNECTED TO SAID MOUNTING MEANS FORMOVEMENT THEREWITH, AND MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID MOTOR TO DRIVE SAIDFOLLOWER WHEREBY SAID FOLLOWER SIMULTANEOUSLY GUIDES AND DRIVES SAIDFABRIC HOLDER, SAID PATTERN MEMBER IN THE FORM OF PARALLEL MAGNETICMATERIAL PLATES SEPARATED BY NONMAGNETIC MATERIAL, AND AT LEAST ONEMAGNET ACROSS SAID PLATES FOR CREATING A MAGNETIC FIELD ALONG SAIDPLATES WITH SAID PLATES HAVING OPPOSITE POLARITY, SAID FOLLOWER SERVINGAS A MAGNETIC BRIDGE BETWEEN SAID PLATES WHEREBY MAGNETIC FLUX FROM ONEPLATE CAN PASS THROUGH SAID FOLLOWER AND INTO THE OPPOSITE PLATE.